Chapter 1

Chloe Blake's POV

Seven years after we became mates, my Alpha, Alex Doyle, abandoned me yet again for Lily Hayes and her pup.

Just minutes ago, Alex had wrenched his hand out of mine.

"Lily lost her mate. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to raise a pup alone? You're the Luna of our pack, Chloe. Why can't you show her a little compassion?" he snapped.

He didn't even glance at the candlelit dinner that was growing cold on the table. Moments later, the front door slammed shut behind him.

Unlike before, I didn't beg him to stay.

I was too exhausted.

My wolf let out an exhausted, despairing whimper before curling into a ball and falling completely silent.

I turned around and calmly walked over to the dining table. Then, I dumped every dish I'd prepared for our anniversary into the trash.

My gaze fell on the diamond ring on my ring finger.

The ring that had once symbolized our eternal bond was gleaming harshly under the lights. Without a moment's hesitation, I slipped it off and tossed it onto the cold marble countertop.

In that moment, whatever love I had left for Alex had vanished completely.

…

The next morning, I pulled on a black coat and headed for our pack's council hall.

As I passed through the central plaza within our pack's territory, I spotted Alex holding Lily's pup in his arms while Lily leaned against him, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Luna Chloe…" she began timidly when she saw me. "Please don't get the wrong idea. My pup had a fever last night, and Alex was only—"

"Did your pup come down with a fever on our seventh anniversary?" I cut her off coldly. "He certainly has a knack for getting sick at the most convenient times."

I took a step forward.

"Last month, your pup came down with a fever on the very day Alex finally made time to accompany me on a patrol of our territory. The week before that, he got sick on my birthday," I declared coldly.

I watched Alex's expression darken as I continued, "Your pup gets sick every time my Alpha and I spend time alone together. In that case, I'll give you all of his time from now on. You won't need to make any more of these pathetic excuses."

"Chloe!" Alex snarled. An oppressive aura rolled off him, fueled by his anger.

"You're being completely unreasonable!" he roared, marching toward me until he towered over me. "Lily has already lost her mate! If her mate hadn't taken that silver bullet for me on the battlefield, I'd be dead! You're the Luna of the pack! How can you, of all people, be so heartless?"

"Since you care about her so much, I'll make things easier for the two of you," I declared coolly.

Instead of backing away, I stood my ground and met his furious gaze without flinching. "From this day onward, you're free to do whatever you please."

With that, I turned away and walked straight toward the council hall without sparing him another glance.

A moment later, I heard Alex slam his fist into a hard surface in a fit of rage.

He was convinced that I was just throwing a tantrum. But unbeknownst to him, I had already made up my mind.

Inside the council hall's offices, sunlight filtered through the blinds, falling across the aged features of Thomas Eldritch, the pack's most senior Elder.

When Thomas saw me enter the office alone, he asked, "Chloe? What happened?"

I walked up to his desk and drew a deep breath.

"I, Chloe Blake, acting in my capacity as Luna, hereby formally request the forced dissolution of my mate bond."

The room went silent.

Thomas' eyes widened in shock. "Do you have any idea what you're saying, Chloe? A forced dissolution of the mate bond doesn't require the other party's consent, but the one who initiates it will suffer the agonizing pain of having their soul torn apart! It could kill you. I cannot possibly approve—"

I didn't say a single word. Instead, I reached into the inner pocket of my coat and took out a dark golden seal. The seal was carved from bone, and its surface bore the shape of a star.

I gently placed the seal on the desk.

When Thomas recognized it, his expression shifted dramatically. He instinctively straightened his back, and his eyes immediately filled with fear and reverence.

He instantly fell silent and didn't dare to utter another word of protest.

As memories of the past seven years flashed through my mind, I calmly said, "It's not worth it. I'd rather die from the pain than spend another day without my freedom."

"I only have one request, Elder Thomas." I put the seal away and met his gaze. "Keep this an absolute secret from Alex until the dissolution is complete. I don't want to hear another one of his phony excuses."

Thomas studied me for a long time before finally letting out a heavy, solemn sigh. Then, he picked up his council seal and pressed it firmly onto the parchment.

The moment the document was stamped, I felt the faintest tug deep within my soul.

The countdown to the dissolution had begun. In 72 hours, the bond between Alex and me would be severed forever.